Gents

I'm looking for anyone's recent airline experience(s) of travelling with firearms (shotgun) to Cordoba Argentina via Santiago Chile.

I am flying American Airlines from Dallas to SA Chile and will continue on with LAN from SA Chile to Cordoba. I've been told that AA will not transfer my bag(s) and that I will need to re-check the my bag(s) with LAN. My outfitter has expressed some concern with my ability to get my bags onto LAN (reason unknown).

If you have recently went through SA Chile en-route to Argentina could you please relate your experience to me. I would appreciate it.

I know this might not be the right forum but I figured some of you may have enjoyed hunting down south. I'm just looking for some information.

Thanks in advance

Croj

Only thing I know is that even though AA and LAN are "partners" AA will not notify you of LAN schedule changes. Recommend you book each separately. Give yourself plenty of time in Santiago. Suggest you call LAN and check on the baggage. 1-866- I FLY LAN

Croj - I think you are making a wise plan via Chile to Cordoba. Last trip landed in BA which had its issue's with customs and such. To few agents (not friendly) very slow but happy to take our money!! Joe has given you good advise regarding contacting LAN. Good airline BTW! Nice airport in Santiago and nice folks. Interesting security! Travel and shoot safe.
Dave

I came back on LAN to SA and changed to American at that point. It was a pain but not mission impossible. Airline & police called me in the waiting area and we walked to an area where the
guncase was waiting, had to identify the gun, prove it was empty and then I walked , with the airline rep back to the waiting area. The case went directly to the plane and we boarded shortly after.
bill

Bill, I'm assuming the authorities in SA wanted to see the RENAR form from Argentina as well as your US Customs - Declaration form. When the authorties in SA were doing their inspection did they want to charge you a fee and or have you fill out any Chilean paperwork?


Both AA and LAN have given me different stories on the their procedures. My outfitter has had very few people travel (w/gun) via SA Chile to Cordoba(?).


What I'm most concerned about is on the way down. AA wont transfer my bag to LAN. I believe I will have to go outside of airport control to retrieve my bag and then try to get back into the terminal via Chilean customs with a shotgun in my bag. (gun/foreign country/non-english/eek)

You might think of leaving your gun home and renting a gun at the Estancia you are staying at. I just got home from Cordoba(Cordoba/Panama City/Houston, via COPA and United)and the entire group of us rented guns there.
All of the group but my self and my son had been to Argentina many times and all had given up on the hassles of taking their own guns. We used Beretta 20 ga. autos and they worked flawlessly.
As a side note, these guns get retired every 4-5 years, after having 4-500,000 rounds fired through them.
Just a thought.

. I have gone to Argentina many times, usually through Santiago and always with guns. Sometimes nothing happens and your guns will arrive in cordoba with your luggage. Other times, the procedure is exactly as described above. The security folks in Santiago merely page you at the gate area (listen carefully, your name may sound quite different when spoken by a Spanish speaker) and they take you to your guns. No papers are requested and no fees are paid. Whole thing takes about 10 minutes, people are perfectly nice and it is not stressful. No reason not to take your guns.

I totally agree with HOS. I have flown two times to Cordoba via Santiago, both times on LAN CHILE. That is one fine airline, IMO, with the most accommodating stewards (no stewardesses on any of the four flights) I have ever seen.

I have had zero problems carrying my own gun(s). It is all very straightforward and easy. I hunted with Luis Sier both times and he provides a lady that meets you at the Cordoba airport and walks you through every step. She is a hoot, and the authorities know she knows her business.

This is just me now, but I would not enjoy the trip nearly as much if I could not use my own personal gun(s). Rented guns, to me, are for the very small chance that mine break and cannot be used. Hunting, and hunting trips, are a personal thing for me, and my personal guns add greatly to my enjoyment. My guns are an extension of me, and who I am. Rented guns are tools, period. Again, I have seen nothing in two trips there and back that would ever make me even consider not taking my own guns.

Hope you have a great trip. Drink it in deeply, it is an unbelievable sight when the sky is full of doves, constantly, for three plus hours of shooting as fast as you can reload.

All my best, SRH

Stan and/or HOS could I ask you, what airline did you use to fly down to SA Chile from the U.S?

Evidently the new American Airlines policy of not transferring bags with firearms to other carriers is a relatively new policy ( with the last year ).

I would rent a gun but I have 3 fitted Beretta's and it would be a shame not to take one of them down there to shoot.

Stan you couldn't have said it any better about a personal gun becoming an extension of one's owner.

LAN from NYC to Santiago and from Santiago to Cordoba and return. Most recently last month. Excellent airline. Totally agree about taking ones own guns. Much more fun.

Don't remember which one I flew from Jacksonville, FL to Miami, but flew LAN CHILE from Miami to Santiago, and over to Cordoba, and back. Both trips.

I took my 20 ga. Beretta SP II Sporting both times, and if there is a next time it will be the go to gun again. Flawless gun, IMO. Way over 10,000 rounds through it without the first malfunction.

SRH

Crojac,
Here's the deal. I've done this four times on American through Santiago to Cordoba. The first ones weren't a problem, but last year American said they couldn't book the guns through to LAN in Santiago. Major disscussion at the check-in in Denver, but we found a smooth way to do it.

When you check-in @ American. Declare your guns. See if they will check them through. If not have them check your regular luggage through to Cordoba and your guns to Santiago. Then have them send LAN in Santiago an intercompany message explaining you will need to get your guns transfered over to your LAN flight. Get a copy of the message to take with you. This will get the guns to Santiago. As soon as you get off the plane in Santiago you will see a LAN help desk in the area where the metal detectors are. "do not go up stairs" Stop at the help desk and tell them you need to make sure your guns will be transferred to your LAN flight. The language thing can be frustrating but they will get the message. Be sure to show them all the documents you have. By doing this, your guns will stay behind security & customs. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time. The American flights from Dallas or Miami arrive approximately 7:00am The morning LAN flight from Santiago to Cordoba is 9:00am. I take the 4:00pm LAN flight just to make sure I have enough time to get the gun situation handled. Just before your flight they will page you "so be sure to hang-out around the gate an hour before the flight" and escourt you to the tarmac for a gun inspection. Be sure to have your Argentina RENAR form, your passport & gun case keys with you when you go for the inspection. The inspectors will be police and in full uniform.

Your return flight shouldn't be a problem. LAN in Cordoba will simply check your guns all the way through to your final destination.

Another thing you need to make sure you have this year is the new resiprocity tax form. In the past you only needed this for entering the country through Buenos Aires. You now need it to enter at any airport. This can only be obtained on-line. The cost is $160.00 and from what I've read, you won't be able to buy it at customs & you will not be allowed to enter the country without it.

Hope this helps. I'll be doing this same drill the end of May myself.

Good Luck,

Paul

Crojac,

One other thing.

Have a minimum of four copies of your Argentina RENAR form with you. You will need three at the Cordoba airport on arrival. The inspectors in Santiago may or may not want to keep one there as well. I've had it go both ways.

Also be sure to get the US customs personal property form for the guns you will be taking, so you can get them back into the country when you return.

Crojac, what ever you decide to do, enjoy the trip. It is an amazing experience.

I've been going to Argentina regularly since 2003. I started going when Mexico changed for the worst! My last two trips were total aggravation taking my gun. The disconnect between American and Lan is ridiculous. On one trip I had to break security in Miami and go from the American terminal to the Lan terminal to RECHECK in. The distance between the two was obscene. Thankfully some older gent in a cart gave me a ride. I've been through all the BS in Santiago and Cordoba and BA. No one can explain why they do what they do. Twice in Cordoba we were called to the desk and then escorted deep into the underground of the airport. We were loaded into a bus and driven at least 1/2 mile only to exit the bus--open our gun cases on a stopped conveyor belt--close them up and get bussed back to the terminal. The last two times coming back through Miami--after you pass through customs and they inspect your guns AGAIN--they will NOT put your luggage/guncases on the conveyor to go to your departing plane. I had to BREAK security again and RECHECK in AGAIN! I'm done--I'll shoot the guns at the lodges or go to Uruguay!! Now American charges you for the 2nd bag--$70--so thats $140 round trip. The gun permits ate $100 each. Gun rental is $65 a day and you get TWO! I love shooting my own gun--but I'll make do and relax on my next journey this June. BTW--I've been to Uruguay twice--and it's very nice.......

It seems the common thread here with gun problems is American airlines. Ever thought about flying another airline besides American?

SRH

Dogon, great information. Now I know why my outfitter gave me the heads up.

Dogon, My flight starts in Omaha on American Airlines bound for Dallas. In Dallas I deplane and get on another American Flight that is code shared (AA acting like LAN) with LAN to Santiago Chile where I finally get on a real LAN fight to Cordoba.

Dogon let me ask you this. Did you think about checking your bags to Dallas and then re-checking them in (security check and all ) with LAN (Dallas) to see if your bags would be checked to Cordoba by LAN themselves and eliminate the whole American / LAN handoff in SA?

I'm assuming my 4.75 hrs layover in SA would be sufficient to get my guns onto the LAN plane. Dogon has it taken you longer than that to get the gun situation sorted out in SA?

I have the RENAR and US Customs 4457. I will get the tax form tonight.

I will make a trip to the airport in the next few days and speak to the counter person at American. I will relay my idea about the get the bags off in Dallas and re-checking them with LAN to see if that would work.

Stan, I would have never flown AA had I known this crazy policy of theirs.

Crojac, remember if your tickets were purchased through American do NOT rely on them to notify you of any LAN schedule changes. Much to my regret I did put my trust in American and it turned into a total fiasco in SA. Check directly with LAN!

Good advice Joe, will do. Half of this adventure will be just getting myself and my gun there

Crojac,

In the past I have gone through Dallas. I thought about doing what you are thinking about. Personally I would much rather deal with the gun situation one time. "In Santiago"

If you have your guns off loaded at Dallas. I suspect that you will need to go outside security. This would mean doing the TSA gun check all over again. Keep in mind the flight from Dallas to Santiago is an American flight/plane even if your tickets say it's a LAN flight. Your LAN flight will be the Santiago to Cordoba leg.

The way I described worked well last year. After going through both Buenos Aires & Santiago. I much prefer Santiago, at least there you don't have to switch airports like you do in BA.

Yes 4.75 hours is plenty of time to get things sewed up in Santiago.